The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Many assembly operations use fasteners, such as bolts or screws, to couple two separate parts together. In many assembly operations it is desirable to retain the fastener to one of the parts to be joined prior to assembly or joining of the two parts in order to more quickly and efficiently couple the parts together. Securing the fastener to one of the parts prior to joining of the parts also improves quality control by assuring a fastener is employed and also eliminates the potential for loose fasteners to fall into assemblies during installation. Additionally, securing the fastener to the part removes the fastener from the assembly, inventory, and shipping process.
One solution known in the art for securing a fastener to a part includes using a keeper that engages the threaded portion of the bolt. However, it is possible for the bolt to unscrew, either during shipment of the part or during disassembly of the part during routine maintenance. Moreover, typical keepers require modifications to the joining parts in order to account for the thickness of the keeper on the threaded portion. Another solution to securing a fastener to a part is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,845 issued to Gary Vaandrager, et al. In Vaandrager, a bracket is used to secure a specialized captured nut to a part. While useful for its intended purpose, there is room in the art for a fastener retainer operable to secure a standard bolt or other fastener to a part that does not interfere with the thread of the bolt, does not require alterations to the part, and that is effective and inexpensive.